Special Child, Special Bond
by WilaraLuv666
Summary: A mysterious 8-year-old boy is abandoned and left in Smallville. He has a gift, and he may have what it takes to make a certain future super-hero and snarky reporter admit how they really feel about each other. C/C.
1. Love

A/N: I inserted my cousin in a Smallville fic!  
  
Alex is my cousin. He barely walks, and knows maybe 4 or 5 words, but he's by far the most intelligent person I've ever known.  
  
~~~  
  
Sherry gazed down at the boy with a small smile, fighting the tears pricking at her eyes.  
  
She regretted it, all of it, everything.  
  
She regretted being so naive and trusting.  
  
She regretted punishing her child because she was out of control.  
  
She regretted that he was suffering for her mistakes.  
  
But most of all, she regretted what she now knew she had to do.  
  
Sherry had never been prepared to be a mother, from the very beginning.  
  
She'd tried, she'd tried hard, and she'd had help, God knows she'd had help.  
  
But she just couldn't do it anymore.  
  
She couldn't handle it.  
  
She couldn't possibly take care of a "normal" child, let alone one who was crippled and mute, and still expect to live a normal life.  
  
She didn't want to get rid of him, but she now felt that she had no choice.  
  
She'd driven for hours, out to some hicktown in the middle of nowhere, somewhere where nobody would know her.  
  
Alex deserved to have a family who could love him, take care of him properly.  
  
And Sherry just couldn't do it anymore.  
  
She slowly pushed his wheelchair into what appeared to be an old theater, where many people who she could only assume were residents-it wasn't exactly a big tourist area, obviously-were sitting around talking and drinking coffee.  
  
She sat down at a table and positioned Alex across from her, then looked around the room slowly.  
  
Surely, someone here would take pity on the sweet little boy.  
  
A waitress came over just then and asked to take her order.  
  
"Oh, uh...just a cup of coffee. Black." She smiled. The waitress-who looked younger, maybe 15 or 16-smiled back tentatively.  
  
"Pardon me saying so, but you look just a little young to be working in a place like this."  
  
The girl smiled again. "Well, in this town, not much is normal."  
  
"Oh." She glanced over at her son. Not normal, hmm...  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
The girl flashed a brilliant smile for the 3rd time. "Lana. Lana Lang."  
  
She nodded then turned and ignored Lana, who walked away after a moment and joined a couple other teenagers at the bar, a tall dark-haired boy who looked as if he were extremely depressed, and a short blonde who looked simply defiant-and, Sherry observed as she saw the frown on the other girl's face while she watched Lana talking animatedly with the tall boy- envious.  
  
Interesting.  
  
But she had no time to reflect on her observation, as Alex started to squirm in his seat and she had to take him out and place him on her lap, and Lana began walking back over with her coffee.  
  
~~~  
  
After another cup of coffee, Sherry stuck a small piece of paper in Alex's coat pocket, which read:  
  
My name is Alex. I am 8 years old.  
  
I'm lovable and a great companion, and I need a home.  
  
I'm special though, and my mommy can't take care of me anymore. She hopes that someone will find me who can.  
  
I can walk just a little bit, but it's best for me to be in my wheelchair, especially when I go places. I say three words: "Hi," "Mom," and "love."  
  
I'm very very smart, even though I can't really show you, expect when people really really love each other, I will know, and I will put their hands together and say "love."  
  
Please take care of me.  
  
Sherry took Alex to a secluded corner booth, kissed his cheek and hugged him, wiped the tears from her eyes, and slipped out the door silently, alone.  
  
~~~  
  
Chloe couldn't help but smile at how exhausted Lana looked, despite how guilty she felt for the thought afterwards.  
  
"Long day?"  
  
Lana sighed. "That's an understatement. So, why are you still here?"  
  
"Oh, I was thinking maybe I would offer the assistant manager a break of sorts," she lied. "Need help?"  
  
In reality, she was waiting around because she was perceptive, and she knew Clark. He would probably show up any minute. She wasn't going to let him avoid her forever.  
  
And she was trying to overcome the temptation to run home and get a certain pink prom dress so she could throw it in his face and tell him what an idiot he was, and why did he care so much for this girl who didn't feel the same way when she'd been falling all over herself for him, and would do anything for him.  
  
But she knew she couldn't do that. She'd be a self-labeled hyprocrite if she did.  
  
She moved slowly towards the other end of the bar, almost in the far corner from the door.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
She whipped her head around fast. "What was that?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Lana reached up and flipped on a light.  
  
There sat a little boy in a wheelchair, smiling brightly at them. "Hi!" he said again.  
  
The girls glanced at each other nervously.  
  
".....Hi...."  
  
~~~  
  
"So, you just found him in the corner? No clue where he came from?" Clark questioned, sitting down across from Chloe, on the other side of Alex.  
  
"Just this note," Chloe answered, handing it to him. He looked over it as Lana spoke up.  
  
"There was something..."  
  
Chloe turned to face her. "What?"  
  
"Earlier...there was a woman in here...she had a little kid in a wheelchair with her, but I didn't see his...or her...face. She seemed upset about something, troubled."  
  
Chloe turned back to Alex. "Guess that means our new friend here has officially been dumped," she said, smiling sadly.  
  
Clark laughed a little.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This note. 'When people really really love each other, I will know, and I will put their hands together and say 'love?'' Sounds like he's better off without whoever left him here."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Stranger things have happened, Clark."  
  
She caught his eye for a minute, and then he quickly looked away. Alex sent a big smile Clark's way. "Hi!"  
  
Clark smiled. "Hi."  
  
Alex turned back to Chloe. "Hi!"  
  
"Hi."  
  
He looked at Clark, then back at Chloe.  
  
He reached over and grabbed Chloe's wrist and lifted her hand, then reached for Clark's.  
  
"What is he doing?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Lana came over and sat on Clark's other side.  
  
Alex gently pushed Chloe and Clark's hands together, closed Clark's hand over Chloe's, smiled, and said, "Love." 


	2. Of Telescopes, Parenthood, and Digital C...

Thanks to MystryFann for the title!  
  
  
  
  
  
Alex smiled, putting his hands down and folding them in his lap, and leaving Clark and Chloe's hands suspended in the air in front of him, still clasped together.  
  
Their eyes locked.  
  
Lana coughed, trying to be subtle and failing horribly, and Chloe pulled her hand away from Clark's hastily and said, "Guess he was wrong this time," and threw in a smile that didn't quite reach her pale blue eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," Clark said softly. He looked at Chloe hard for another second, then turned towards Alex again and threw out the dreaded question.  
  
"What are we going to do about him?"  
  
~~~  
  
Chloe glanced at her reflection in the mirror once more, sighed dramatically, and proceeded to change out of the prom dress.  
  
Clark knew how she felt about him, she was sure of that. If he hadn't gotten it from what Ryan had told him, and the not-so-subtle hints she had been dropping about prom, then the article she had written in the Torch-all about him, without mentioning his name-had sealed the deal, without a doubt.  
  
As she hung the dress back on her door, she thought herself foolish for having bought it in the first place when she knew she'd never get to wear it.  
  
She determined not to think about it as she slipped her shirt over her head, decided it was no big deal as she grabbed her keys and jacket, told herself to let it go as she headed out the door, and realized she was just BSing herself as she got into her car and pulled out of the drive.  
  
~~~  
  
"Knock knock."  
  
There was no reply.  
  
"Hey, Clark. It's a barn, and I'm knocking," Chloe said, tapping her knuckles on the banister. "Helloo, Clark."  
  
"Up here!"  
  
"Somehow I guessed that," she said as she walked up into the loft. "How'd they take it?"  
  
"My parents? Between Ryan and Alex, they're starting to think the heavens are hinting that I want a little brother," Clark said with a little smile.  
  
Chloe smiled, then regarded him more seriously. "Do you?"  
  
"Hi!" Alex called out suddenly, before he could reply.  
  
"Hi," Chloe smiled at the boy, then stole another glance at Clark before walking over to him.  
  
"Clark, has he been strapped into this damn chair this whole time?"  
  
"Yeah. He can't walk, remember?"  
  
She shook her head. "Tell me you at least fed him."  
  
"I don't know what he eats!"  
  
"Clark, he's disabled, not from another galaxy," she chided.  
  
"How am I supposed to know this stuff?"  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Common sense, Clark. Now, let's get this boy out of his chair, and fed, bathed, and hope he konks out fast so we can take a course of action in getting rid of him." She grimaced. "That came out wrong."  
  
"You positively glow with maternal warmth, Chloe," Clark said teasingly, dropping down next to her in front of Alex. She smiled brightly.  
  
"It comes naturally."  
  
"Right, because ink-stained fingers, cramped neck muscles, and late nights with an excessive amount of caffeine totally prepare you for motherhood." He paused. "That almost made sense."  
  
She laughed, and it was infectious. Before long, both Clark and Chloe were all but rolling on the floor, with Alex giggling just watching them together.  
  
~~~  
  
"Ugh. I should've just gotten in with him," Chloe said, wringing out her wet hair.  
  
Clark grinned and said, "Why didn't you?"  
  
"I would've been fully clothed, don't get your hopes up, farmboy."  
  
"Hadn't planned to," Clark replied, pulling off his soaked T-shirt.  
  
Chloe's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Clark Kent, shirtless and soaking wet, in all his glory. And all she could think was 'wow' as she forced herself not to stare.  
  
"It's late. Wanna stay here tonight?" Clark offered, snapping her back to reality.  
  
"Uh, sure," she said. "I'll call my dad."  
  
While Chloe headed downstairs to call, Clark went towards his room to get a dry shirt. He stopped in the doorway and looked at Alex, curled up on his bed, fast asleep.  
  
"He looks peaceful," came the voice at his side, stirring him from his reverie.  
  
"Chloe! I didn't hear you come back up."  
  
She smiled. "I feel like a mother. Feeding and bathing him before bed."  
  
"Who's the father?" he questioned. He realized the implications of what he had said only when she cast him a side-long glance, and he blushed. "I need a shirt."  
  
As he crossed the room and slipped on a fresh T-shirt, she went to the bed and covered Alex. "So, bed's taken. Where do we sleep?"  
  
"We could get sleeping bags and pillows and all and sleep out in the barn," Clark suggested.  
  
The concept of sleeping alone with Clark, out in the open air, under the stars, was extremely appealing to Chloe, if words could even describe her elation at the idea.  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Sounds great."  
  
~~~  
  
"Alright. Your turn. And make it good."  
  
Chloe stared off into space blankly, pretending to be lost in thought. "Hmm...I'm deeply in love with someone, and I think I may even be obsessed." She knew she was running a risk with that statement. Given what he already knew, he could easily guess she was talking about him.  
  
But if he did, he didn't admit it.  
  
"Really? With who?"  
  
"You really wanna know? It's kinda embarrassing."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
Her eyes glinted mischeviously as she spoke. "Alex. He spit food on us, he got me soaking wet, he chose to learn 'love' instead of some stupid word he doesn't need, and he looks peaceful when he sleeps. He's stolen my heart already." She flashed Clark a coy smile. "Your turn."  
  
"I'm confused."  
  
"About? Come on, you know you have to elaborate. You made me."  
  
"Yeah, and you made up some cute little thing about Alex, and avoided really telling me."  
  
"Good point," she said, nodding slowly. "Tell me anyway."  
  
"There are these two things, and they've both been around so long, but I'm a lot more familiar with one than the other, more comfortable with it. But somehow, the one I'm not so sure of seems more safe. The other is daring, and challenging, and it kind of scares me. I can't choose between safety that I know nothing of and risk and adventure that I've always known on a different level."  
  
"Let me get this straight. This thing you've always had around, that you're comfortable and familiar with, seems more risky to you. And the other you don't really have, but it seems safer."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You should stick with the un-certain thing that feels safe," she said.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Absolutely." She grinned again. "It probably is safer, and she won't suspect a thing."  
  
"Huh?" For a moment, Clark almost thought she had guessed what he was talking about.  
  
"A digital camera is much safer," she went on. "That telescope's so big, she'll probably notice where it's pointed eventually. And plus you can take pictures."  
  
He tried not to smile. "Cute. Now, seriously."  
  
She turned serious abruptly. "Take the risk," she said. "You should always take the risk. It's usually worth it."  
  
He nodded and smiled a little. "You know, that's kind of what I was thinking." He leaned back on the mountain of pillows they'd dragged out to the barn and not yet arranged. She did the same next to him.  
  
"So, what was it?"  
  
He turned to face her. "You'll find out soon enough. Maybe." 


	3. New Developments

"Where is he?!"  
"I told you, I left him. In this little town, hours from here."  
"You're lying!"  
"No, please, Ron," Sherry sobbed. "It's true. He's gone."  
He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder. "For his sake, you better be telling the truth."  
He shoved her out the door in front of him. "Take me to him, now."  
~~~  
"I love this kid," Chloe said matter-of-factly, sitting on Clark's bed the next morning, with Alex leaning against her.  
She didn't bother to tear her eyes away from Clark as she said it.  
"Yeah, he's pretty great, huh?"  
"I'd keep him if I could." She was still looking directly at Clark.  
He looked up. "Maybe you can."  
"Well--I--ah..." She was overwhelmed for a second before she registered that Clark was in fact talking about Alex even if she wasn't. "I don't think so. Nobody's ever around at my house, and...we should really try to find his family."  
"What if he doesn't have one?"  
His words caught her off-guard. She paused for a second, then nodded once decidedly.  
"Then we'll have to give him one," she said, still looking right in his eyes.  
He nodded, seeming to accept this.  
Alex's eyes popped open suddenly. "Hi!"  
"Hi," they said back to him in unison.  
"Hi!"  
He struggled to sit up straighter, and reached for Chloe's hand. She helped him up, then he grabbed Clark's hand as well.  
"Is he doing it again?"  
"I think."  
Their hands came together. "Love."  
"No, I think you're mistaken this time, Alex," Chloe said, moving her hand away.  
Alex looked at both of them and sighed, frustrated. Then he smiled again and took only Chloe's hand, holding it towards Clark. "Love." Then he looked at Clark expectantly.  
Clark reached over and ruffled the little boy's curly blond hair affectionately. Alex reached up and took Clark's hand and put it back to Chloe's. "Love!" he said again, more insistently.  
Clark started to shake his head, until Chloe caught his eye. "No," he said softly.  
Yet neither of them thought to move their hands this time.  
"What say we get something to eat?"  
"Sounds good to me."  
Chloe smiled as she noted that Clark still didn't bother to drop her hand as they gathered Alex and headed downstairs.  
~~~  
"Where is it?" Ron demanded.  
"This is it," Sherry said softly. "But he might not be here. Someone could've-"  
"Shut the hell up!" He raised his hand to strike her, then quickly lowered it and smiled politely at an elderly couple walking by.  
"Come on." He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the coffeehouse.  
~~~  
"Seriously, Clark, it would do you good to invest in a camera with a zoom lens," Chloe said playfully as they neared the Talon.   
Clark hurriedly went to hold the door open for Chloe to push Alex's wheelchair through.  
"Always the gentleman, Clark. You give chivalry new meaning."  
He smiled as they took a booth near the front. "I'd say it's in the genes, but...I really don't know that." At this, his smile faded.  
She forced a weak smile as guilt washed over her. *That goddamn adoption record is polluting my beloved iMac as we speak.*  
"Hey, Clark. Chloe."  
"Oh, hey Lana." Chloe waved her hand dismissively and pretended to focus on Alex as Clark went from Kent charm mode to "let's-all-drool-over-Lana" mode-or surrogate boyfriend mode, depending on Lana's response-in 2.5 seconds flat.  
Lana glanced away from them for a moment.  
"Oh my God," she whispered.  
"What?"  
"That's her. The woman who brought Alex," she said, sitting down next to Clark.  
"You're sure?" Chloe leaned forward eagerly.  
"Definitely. That's her."  
~~~  
"Why are those kids staring at us?"  
"What kids? Where?"  
"Over there," Ron said, pointing. "I can barely see them, I don't have my glasses. But they're definitely staring at us."  
Sherry nodded, shifting her gaze a little to the left of where he was pointing. "I saw them here yesterday. That girl was my waitress. Her name is..." She paused, took a breath for effect. "Crystal. Crystal Harding."  
"Which one?"  
She paused again and considered the situation. Ron could hardly see a thing. He had no idea what she was...well...  
"The blonde," she told him. "Yes, the blonde. The blonde girl was my waitress, and her name is Crystal Harding."  
"I see."  
*No you don't.* She stifled a laugh.  
"Why do you not wear your glasses anymore, dear?"  
"I forgot them last night, we were in such a rush."  
"Oh."  
She looked over at the 3 teens again-and realized they had Alex with them.  
*Well, at least now I know why they're staring.*  
"Um, Ron, Alex isn't here. Maybe we should just--"  
"I'm not leaving without that boy," he growled. "Let's see if this waitress of yours knows anything."  
As Ron led her over to them, she prayed he couldn't see the fear reflected in her eyes. 


End file.
